Two businessmen jailed, fined in Sibu for attempted bribery

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SIBU: The Sessions Court here has sentenced two businessmen to prison and a fine each after they pleaded guilty to attempting to bribe a Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) enforcer.

Tou Tai Ling was sentenced to three days in prison and a fine of RM15,000 in default two months jail, while Ting Heng Sing was sentenced to two days and a fine of RM10,000 in default one-month imprisonment.

They paid the fine.

They were charged under Section 17(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act (MACC) 2009 (Act 694), punishable under Section 24(1)(a) and (b) of the same act.

The Section provides for imprisonment not exceeding 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is the higher.

According to the charge, Tou and Ting committed the offence on April 23, 2019, at 9.30am and 10am respectively at University Street.

Tou corruptly gave RM3,000 to a SFC staff and Ting gave RM2,000 to the same staff.

Based on the facts of the case, they had offered the money to avoid action being taken against them after SFC officers inspected their lorry at University Street and found its load of mangrove trees had no property mark from the Forest Department or other markings to indicate it has been taxed.